So it turns out that having your leg limp and non-weight bearing for two months isn't the best thing for it. My lower leg wasn't quite ready for running yet and at the end of last week it let me know that by having my soleus/post tib flare up a good bit again. I've lost a ton of flexibility in my lower legs (10 degrees dorsiflexion) and need to work to get that back again--along with specific strengthening--before my lower leg will oblige pain-free running again. So it goes, I guess I knew it was going to be a long process.

I had loads of travel this week but it was really fantastic visiting my home in Nebraska when it was neither sweltering hot and humid nor brutally windy and cold (when I usually head home for the holidays). It was a fantastic place to gain an appreciation for the natural world growing up.

Back to the hiking it is for probably a couple of weeks as I baby along my legs' ability to withstand the more dynamic running motion, but as far as uphills go, I must say pow-hiking up Green this evening in only 34min was a pretty darn close facsimile of the real deal. Especially the changing leaves on the trail and the sun setting over the Indian Peaks. Just great for the legs and soul. After this past busy week I look forward to being much more consistent in reaching Green's summit again.

Trail from Main Street, Creede, CO.

Commodore Mine: where West Willow Creek turns orange.

Creede, CO.

Upper Greenman Trail.

Lower Amphitheater Trail.

Infinite miles of this at home--relentlessly rolling dirt roads. Not a bad running surface to grow up on.

Dad with the rugged landscape on our property where I cut my off-road teeth. Missouri River in the background.

Massively flooded Missouri River. The far shore is South Dakota. The arcing Highway 12 on the left re-emerged from the waters only 10 days ago. The Fort Randall Dam above Niobrara and the Gavins Point Dam below it both had record releases of water in June and July of 160,000 cfs. Which was more than twice the previous record (Niagara Falls is ~100,000 cfs).

Closest thing I had to a mountain. Top of Niobrara State Park, 400' vert from the river bottom.

Tony, may you have a good solid recovery and return to where you'd like to be, but as you say, may be (just may be) this injury allowed you to see so many other points of what you love, it was (almost) good. In a way:) Beautiful photos, and seems like soul time home.

Trimbo - my thesis work is on the Commodore Mine. Using science to figure out the watershed hydrology to determine the best (cheapest/least invasive) way to remediate the acid mine drainage situation.

JV - Nice, yeah that general area is where I've had probably 2/3rds of my Boulder bear sightings. There and near the apple trees on lower Gregory.

Karl - hiking is WAAAY better than nothing. Best cross-training out there because it's actually not even cross-training--it's the real thing.

Olga - yeah, I'm finally feeling fully recovered energy-wise for the first time since before Leadville LAST year (and I wouldn't be that recovered if I hadn't broken my leg), but I'm now realllllly ready to be back out on the trails RUNNING.

ManImSchatten - I don't speak Czech, unfortunately, but my grandparents did (even though they were 3rd generation Americans) and it was the first language my Dad learned as a kid; now he can understand it if he's spoken to but not really speak it, read it, or write it to any significant degree anymore.

Tony, I have had a sore achilles for about 4 months (has not gotten better, or worse)and sometimes I decide to walk my 9 mile route instead of run it, thinking this might give it a better chance to heal. Would you say that's true--that walking the same distance that I would run is easier on the achilles tendon? Barry

I love how your hiking PR in 'out of shape' mode totally slaughters most of our all out PR's on that route! That's just awesome. Good luck in the continued recovery...glad to hear you're still able to get up the mountain.

Anton,I've been reading and following your blog since about mid '07 when I read an article about you in Running Times (you were still in the slingshots!). Up until about the last year and a half to two years you were pretty reserved with how much of your personal life you've shared here which is completely understandable, however its also super cool that you've cracked a couple windows into other parts of your life. Thank you for sharing these pictures of your home. Your no doubt the LeBron James of your sport but a fundamental difference is how approachable you seem. You don't seem to put yourself on the pedestal of celebrity that some NFL or NBA stars do. Its awesome and I hope to meet you in person some day.

Barry - hard to say. I know the less dynamic stride of hiking is easier on my lower legs than a running stride, and that's why I'm employing it for this particular issue. I get bored with hiking quite quickly if it's not on steep terrain. And, if not on such steep terrain, I imagine just hiking a usual running route will take A LOT longer.

Aaron - I've been taking a slightly alternate route that I would put at about a minute shorter than the standard Amphi-Saddle Rock-Greenman "frontside" ascent, but yeah, I've been surprised at how efficient (and comparable to running) hiking has been on sustained steep terrain.

I've had some great hill workouts in Nebraska over the years. It doesn't have the dramatic elevation gain we have here in CO, but it definitely has hills. I think I'd describe it as "rolling" rather than "flat."

I'm a senior biology major at Creighton U from Columbus, NE. I have my first real race this weekend (Omaha half-marathon). I cycle pretty often, but you and your blog have really been an inspiration for me to pick up running, and I've loved every minute of it. Definitely is the perfect cure when I need to get away from schoolwork. Thanks and Keep it up!

First off, those pics you posted of Green and Creede were super sweet trails. I would give anything to be able to reel out my worthless out and back 5 miler's on on those trails for sure. Secondly, it was hilarious seeing the few pics of your dad hanging with ya. The look on his face seemed to say, "Alright Tony, let's get this picture thing taken or whatever you're planning on doing over with so we can get back to the house!". Good stuff.Thirdly, is that a word? I was on my way back from a run at South Mountain Park here in Phoenix, when, after bruising my heel badly in the Trail Minimus', it got me to thinking 'how the hell did Anton make it back to his place after he broke his leg coming down that trail?' I was just curious after thinking of it, did you limp back to your place? Have someone pick you up? Cause that was a pretty major injury. I know it probably brings back bad memories but I was just curious. Take care bro. Happy for ya.

SO COOL to see where you're from in NE Tony!!! beautiful pics. crazy to see that's all the climbing you had available to you growing up and now what a phenom you've become!! keep on keepin' on with your recovery. it's inspiring me to keep up with mine!!!

Hey you don't know me and this may sound like a christian hipey mix but, I have been expirimenting with healing the body with the mind and if you want to have that knee heal you might want to try to give your pain to god (or who ever you like to talk to) and just release all of it and that may not even be pain it could be a mental block. -Eli-

The ideal in the Lieh-Tzu is a state, not of withdrawal, but of heightened perceptiveness and responsiveness in an undifferentiated world. My mind concentrated and my body relaxed, bones and flesh fused completely, I drifted with the wind East or West, like a leaf from a tree or a dry husk, and never knew whether it was the wind that rode me or I that rode the wind. -The Book of Lieh-Tzu